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Ayacucho
Peru
Ayacucho : Huamanga, the
city of the 33 churches
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To
stroll through the city of Huamanga, in Ayacucho, is to experience
a profound reencounter with religious fervor on each corner.
With 33 churches in the city, one for every year of Jesus
Christ's age, Huamanga is one of the most interesting religious
destinations in the Americas and lasting proof of the Christian
faith so imbued in Peru's people. Each of these churches -the
oldest was built in 1540- houses a relic, a work of art, a
legend.
Visitors standing in the main square can admire the majestic
Baroque and Renaissance architecture of the Ayacucho Cathedral,
built from pink stone in its central section and towers crafted
from gray stone blocks. The Cathedral dates back to 1612 and
is held to be one of the most beautiful of its kind in Peru
for its exquisite inner decoration in the Churriguerra style.
Other churches, like Santo Domingo, which dates from 1548,
or San Francisco de Paula, built in 1713, show how the style
and taste of its builders evolved: Romantic and Byzantine
arches in Santo Domingo, Greco-Roman façades with haut-relief
carvings in San Francisco de Asís, Baroque interiors
in La Compañía de Jesús -each church
in Huamanga has its own personality.
At the same time, the 33 churches in Huamanga house some of
the finest works of art to be crafted by Ayacucho artisans:
superb altarpieces, carved wood pulpits, heavily decorated
altars and hundreds of oil paintings from the various schools
of painting that flourished there. A veritable invitation
to experience Peru's religious history.
Some of the city's 33 churches lie just a few blocks from
the main square, or Plaza de Armas, a good starting point
for a tour. Each church has its opening hours, so it is best
to get information beforehand. |
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